A gruelling weekend for the Powell River Kings in BC Hockey League action was a failure, according to their coach.
“Sunday was a failure of being immature and not playing a good, sound hockey game,” said Kings head coach Kent Lewis.
Kings lost 5-1 on Sunday, December 4, on the road against Trail Smoke Eaters. Lewis said that third of three weekend games summed up the trip.
First, a two-on-one breakaway gave Trail the go-ahead goal and then, after a two-on-none resulted in another goal, it was game over, said Lewis.
“There’s no excuse for Sunday’s 5-1 loss, Trail didn’t get home until four in the morning after playing in Salmon Arm,” said Lewis. “We were probably more rested than they were. We were missing some guys and had some guys who were sick.”
Kings were missing three key players from the lineup as Andy Stevens, Kyle Betts and Carter Turnbull joined the Canada West camp roster at the 2016 World Junior A Challenge.
Lewis said the breakaway goals by Trail were defensive breakdowns.
“That’s not mental toughness,” he said. “We have to learn how to play good defence. We can score goals but we have to learn to play really good shutdown defence; that is going to create more offence for us.”
Lewis was not on the three-game road trip with his team, which he said was difficult.
“Very tough,” he said of the first games he’s missed this year. “At this point in time I thought it was a good opportunity for the guys to go and take some responsibility, and it’s good for assistant coach Brock Sawyer, who wants to grow in this position, as well.”
Sawyer said coaching is the career he has chosen, so the experience of managing the bench, emotions and the 20 different personalities on the team during a game “is a huge and invaluable experience.”
Lewis added it was a good weekend for the core leadership of the team.
As a result of the three-game road trip, which opened with a 5-3 win over Chilliwack and ended with two losses, 3-1 against Penticton and the lopsided loss to Trail, Kings fell five points behind Victoria Grizzlies in Island Division standings.
“Friday night we played well and capitalized on our chances,” said Sawyer, “and then Saturday night we made a few mistakes. When you play a good team they’re going to make you pay for them.”
Kings face Alberni Valley Bulldogs in a two-game home series this weekend at Hap Parker Arena. Game time on Friday, December 9, is 7:15 pm. Puck drop is set for 5 pm on Saturday, December 10.
